1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for assisting in an accurate fit between a doorframe and a door installed therein, and more particularly, to a doorframe template apparatus, especially adapted for assuring that the shape of the door conforms to the shape of the doorframe.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ideally, doorframes and the doors installed therein have a perfect fit. In reality, adjacent sides of manufactured doors are very nearly at right angles to each other. However, tile doorframes in which the doors are installed often have adjacent sides that are not at right angles to one another. This lack of right angularity can be due to a number of causes ranging from poor building technique to a house settling over time. In this respect, it is often difficult to fit a rectangular door in a non-rectangular doorframe. Since it is easier to trim a rectangular door to conform to a non-rectangular doorframe than vice versa, it would be desirable if a device were provided that was adapted to assure that the shape of the door conforms to the shape of the doorframe.
When the shape of a doorframe, or a portion of a doorframe is determined, that shape must somehow be retained or remembered so that it can be transferred to a door so the door can be adjusted to conform to the shape of the doorframe. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided that retained the shape of a doorframe so that the retained shape can be transferred to a door.
In working on door installations, it would be desirable if tools that are used are lightweight and easy to operate. In this respect, it would be desirable if a door shape adjusting device were provided that is lightweight and easy to operate.
A doorframe has four corners. Rather than having big bulky tools that would be used to measure all four corners simultaneously, it would be desirable if a doorframe device were provided that measured one corner at a time but that was easily adjusted to successively measure all four corners.
A doorframe has two relatively Icing vertical doorjambs and one relatively short horizontal top frame member. The horizontal floor directly below the top frame member may also be considered to be a horizontal member importantly related to proper door installation. Each corner of the doorframe results from a meeting of a relatively long vertical doorjamb and a relatively short horizontal member. In this respect, it would be desirable if a doorframe device were provided that included a relatively long portion to conform to a vertical doorjamb and a relatively short portion to conform to a horizontal portion of the doorframe.
Once the shape of a doorframe corner is determined and retained by a doorframe device, the retained shape of the corner must be accurately transferred to a door, so that the shape of the door can be altered accordingly. In this respect, it would be desirable if a doorframe device were provided that permits accurate transfer of the shape of the doorframe corner to the door.
Heights and widths of doorframes vary from place to place. Yet, for most purposes, doorframes are at least six feet high and at least two feet wide. Generally, there is more variation in width than in height. Therefore, it would be desirable if a doorframe device were provided that was adjustable with respect to doorframe width.
A number of devices are known in the prior art which are used for determining corner angles. For example, the following U.S. patents disclose adjustable squares: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,525,933; 4,562,649; 4,697,351; 4,729,173; and U.S. Pat. Des. No. 260,616. More specifically, all of the patents just cited disclose general purpose squares. None of them are disclosed as having features specifically provided for assuring that the shape of a door conforms to the shape of the doorframe. Moreover, these cited patents do not teach their use in assuring that the shape of a door conforms to the shape of the doorframe. In this respect, it would be desirable if a square device were provided which possessed specific features designed for assuring that the shape of a door conforms to the shape of the doorframe.
When using a square, a line is often drawn using an edge of the square. Often, during the course of drawing the line, the square slips, and the line that is drawn is not a straight line. In this respect, it would be desirable if a square device were provided that assured that a straight line were drawn on a door.
Strings loaded with chalk powder are referred to as chalk lines. Chalk lines are often used to mark a surface for marking a straight line. In use, a string may develop some slack and no longer deposit chalk on the surface in the form of a straight line. In this respect, it would be desirable if a marking device were provided that employed a chalk line and that had provisions to assure that the chalk line remains taut and straight.
When chalk lines arc used, some portion of the chalk powder leaves the line to be deposited on the surface being marked. In this respect, it would be desirable if a chalk line device were provided for marking a door wherein a supply of chalk is provided to replenish chalk depleted from the chalk line.
A chalk replenishing supply need not be present on the chalk line device at all times. It is intended to be used only when it is needed. In this respect, it would be desirable if a chalk line device were provided in which a chalk supply can be readily added to or removed from the support for the chalk line.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use generic squares for a variety of purposes, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a doorframe template apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) has features to assure that the shape of the door conforms to the shape of the doorframe; (2) retains the shape of a doorframe so that the retained shape can be transferred to a door; (3) is lightweight and easy to operate; (4) is easily adjusted to successively measure all four corners of the doorframe; (5) includes a relatively long portion to conform a vertical doorjamb and a relatively short portion to conform to a horizontal portion of the doorframe; (6) permits accurate transfer of the shape of the doorframe corner to the door; (7) is adjustable with respect to doorframe width; (8) is a square device which possesses specific features designed for assuring that the shape of a door conforms to the shape of the doorframe; (9) assures that a straight line is drawn on a door; (10) employs a chalk line with provisions to assure that the chalk line remains taut and straight; (11) provides a supply of chalk to replenish depleted chalk; and (12) provides a chalk supply that can be readily be added to or removed from the support for the chalk line. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique doorframe template apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.